Muddy hedgehogs
rescued from trench

This little fellow must be thanking his lucky stars after being rescued from a trench on a building site in Westham over the weekend.

Two hedgehogs were taken to East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service’s Casualty Care Centre covered in dried mud after being trapped in a foundation trench. Builders discovered the duo, now named Bill and Ben, and rescued them.

WRAS founder, Trevor Weeks MBE, said: “I have never had to rescue hedgehogs as badly covered in mud as this before, we often get them with mud on but not with so much caked and dried onto their fur and spines, especially round the faces too.”

WRAS would normally release the hedgehogs back in their hedgehogs’ home range that same evening, but due to the building work and the depth of the trench the hedgehogs are being kept in care for a few days.

Trevor continued: “The first thing we did was to check to see if they were boys or girls, as we wouldn’t want to keep a female away from her babies at this time of year. Luckily they were boys we they were delivered to the Casualty Centre for a clean up.

“Student Bryony helped me wash them both, you have to be careful when washing them that they don’t curl up and drown in the water, so you have to be very careful with them.”

Now with their spines shining once more, the two hedgehogs are being housed and fed at the centre and will be released back at the end of the week once the trench has been filled in. Trevor added: “The builders are going to keep an eye on the trench and check it regularly to ensure no others get stuck.”